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Preface
xxv
them to be taught in the Bible, that man’s probation would close
a short time before the actual coming of the Lord in the clouds of
heaven. This seemed evident from those scriptures which point to a
[xxviii]
time when men will seek, knock, and cry at the door of mercy, and it
will not be opened. And it was a question with them whether the date
to which they had looked for the coming of Christ might not rather
mark the beginning of this period which was immediately to precede
His coming. Having given the warning of the judgment near, they
felt that their work for the world was done, and they lost their burden
of soul for the salvation of sinners, while the bold and blasphemous
scoffing of the ungodly seemed to them another evidence that the
spirit of God had been withdrawn from the rejecters of his mercy.
All this confirmed them in the belief that probation had ended, or, as
they then expressed it, ‘the door of mercy was shut.’”—
The Great
Controversy, 429
.
Then Mrs. White continues to show how light began to dawn on
this question:
“But clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary
question. They now saw that they were correct in believing that
the end of the 2300 days in 1844 marked an important crisis. But
while it was true that that door of hope and mercy by which men
had for eighteen hundred years found access to God, was closed,
another door was opened, and forgiveness of sins was offered to
men through the intercession of Christ in the most holy. One part
of His ministration had closed, only to give place to another. There
was still an ‘open door’ to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ was
ministering in the sinner’s behalf
.
“Now was seen the application of those words of Christ in the
revelation, addressed to the Church at this very time: ‘These things
saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David,
He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open
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door, and no man can shut it.’ (
Revelation 3:7, 8
.)
“It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the
atonement, who receive the benefits of His mediation in their be-
half; while those who reject the light which brings to view this
work of ministration, are not benefited thereby.”—
Ibid
.,
The Great
Controversy, 429, 430
.